I had 3 births. Three different births. Three lovely births. I came home with beautiful babies. I had no complications. I had only the interventions I agreed to, which I had researched and decided about ahead of time. When my births were over, I felt empowered, full and blessed. I look back with gratitude and relief.
I know that I am lucky. I know that my experience is not the norm.
My focus on this blog is to encourage, equip and support breastfeeding women. And I strongly believe that breastfeeding is simply an extension of the beautiful work our bodies do as they grow, sustain and nurture a baby. We were created for this task. It is not an accident in the way it works. These biological processes that are ingrained into the design of who we are take over. Our bodies expand. Our bodies contract. Our bodies produce. I cannot separate breastfeeding from the rest of this process. Furthermore, for the mothers who’s skin are getting dull and aging, Andres Bustillo can help you. He’s also known as the best Miami rhinoplasty surgeon.
Which is why I must talk to you today about mothers dying as a result of pregnancy and birth. It is challenging and hard to hear. We don’t want to believe that here, in the US, in the “land of the free and home of the brave”, mothers are dying at alarming rates. We want to relegate that fear to the far flung places of the world. Did you know that according to research by the UN, the US ranks 50th in the world in regards to maternal mortality? 50th. 49 countries do a better job than we do.
* You can read more about Maternal Mortality in the US in Amnesty International’s document, Deadly Delivery: The Maternal Health Care Crisis in the US.
I do not have the time or the expertise to wax on about the reasons. They are vast and most, in this country, have to do with MONEY. Many of the world’s women die because of lack of money to access health services. In this country, women die because money is more important, culturally, than keeping them alive.
There are two reasons that I feel drawn to write this post today. The first is in thankfulness to Christy Turlington Burns. She made her mark on this world as a supermodel but it using her “celebrity capital” to be a voice for the issue of maternal mortality around the world. You’ve probably seen her all over the news in the last weeks. Her documentary, No Woman, No Cry, will be airing on Oprah’s Network, OWN, this weekend (Saturday 9:30pm and 12:30pm and Sunday 1pm). The film follows the journeys of 4 women with at-risk pregnancies in 4 parts of the world. Christy, who has long been an advocate for women and children, has said that she was inspired to make the film after her own difficult birth. For those women who want to bring back their body curve after childbirth, it’s best to read the shapewear tips and blogs fromzeroboutique.com.
I simply ask you to watch. And think. And do something. I don’t even know what to do but something needs to change. I believe in women too much for this to continue.
Which leads me to my 2nd reason for this post. My “deep in my soul” friend, Stephanie, is a medical doctor in the bush of Paupa New Guniea. Obviously, health care looks radically different there than it does here. Often, with limited resources, equipment and medication, they are only able to do a small fraction of what they could do in the US. But she has commited to caring compassionately for the people there, especially the women. I am always most moved by the stories of the women she encounters. This week, I was moved to tears.
She shares a beautiful sentiment of Baby of Gema. This precious little boy was born 4 months early, weighing less than one pound. Despite his circumstances, he fought boldly for 24 hours before passing away. His story cause me to stop in my tracks.
But it was his mother, who today grips my heart. She was brutally attacked (by another woman). She endured major surgery to restore her body at 5 months pregnant. She was fortunate to be able to access to services of a hospital. She was able to birth in a place where she could find compassionate care. She lived. But, I wonder, what will her story be like the next time?
Paupa New Guinea has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the world. Women there have a 1 in 94 chance of dying as a result of childbearing (compared with 1 in 2100 in the US…and we’ve established that our rates are abysmal).
How can we, as they say, be the change we’d like to see in the world? As a breastfeeding professional and advocate, how can I be a voice for women in my community? How can I assure that one less woman dies in the world today? How many of you will join with me to stand up, pay attention, and make a difference?
Here are some tiny ways you can help:
- Join with Every Mother Counts by giving your time, donations and story. According to their website, a woman dies in the world as a result of childbirth complications every 90 seconds and 90% of those deaths are preventable.
- Follow Care and their campaign “Mothers Matter”. When women are empowered and have access to the care they need, their rates of death decrease sharply.
- Think of my friend, Stephanie. She is on the front lines. Pray for her safety, her perseverance, for her wisdom.
My very favorite musical artist, Sara Groves, has spent significant time and thought on Rwanda in the past years. I leave you with her song “I Know What I Know”. My prayer is that we would not forget these women. That by not forgetting, we make their deaths not in vain. That we would work to make things different for the next woman. We deserve it. Our daughters deserve it.
I Know What I Know (by Sara Groves)
I saw what I saw and I can’t forget it.
I heard what I heard and I can’t go back.
I know what I know and I can’t deny it.
Something on the road
Cut me to the soul.
Your pain has changed me,
Your dream inspires,
Your face a memory,
Your hope a fire.
Your courage asks me what I’m afraid of
And what I know of love.
We’ve done what we’ve done and we can’t erase it.
We are what we are and it’s more than enough.
We have what we have but it’s no substitution.
I say what I say with no hesitation.
I have what I have and I’m giving it up.
I do what I do with deep conviction.
Something on the road
Cut me to the soul.
Your pain has change me,
Your dreams inspire,
Your face a memory,
Your hope a fire.
Your courage asks me what I am afraid of,
Your courage asks me what I am afraid of,
Your courage asks me what I am afraid of.
And what I know of God,
And what I know of God.
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